


Potions and Chemistry

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/F, Light Angst, Teen Romance, light fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-08-17
Packaged: 2018-02-07 16:52:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1906632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cosima starts her fifth year at Hogwarts with a new potions partner. Cophine Hogwarts AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Cosima Niehaus, fifth year Ravenclaw and potions master extraordinaire, does not sneak. She has been known to saunter, sprint and, on occasion, strut, but a low profile is one she always rejects as completely and obscenely out of hand. 

Usually, at least. 

But when your sisters invite you, and, apparently, the entirety of Gryffindor Tower to a party by the lake to celebrate the start of a new school year, granting you a hangover no magic could cure and leaving you 15 minutes late for the first potions class of a new year, sneaking is the only response. 

Cosima eased open the dungeon door finding, to her relief, that Professor Snape’s back was turned and he hadn’t began class yet. Now if she could only make it to that empty seat in the back row before he…

‘Ah, Miss Niehaus. So good of you to join us when your busy schedule allows.’ Cosima tried to form an apology through stammering lips, but he cut her off with a scornful gaze. ‘If you could take a seat in the front row please, and allow me to continue with my class.’

Cosima knew that technically she had got off easily, that he was well within his rights to give her a detention at the least, but that didn’t stop her being pissed off. She had planned to partner with Scott, his neat and technical style perfectly complimented her slightly, ahem, avant-garde approach to potions. Instead it looked like she would have to share desk space with one of the slimy Slytherin suck-ups that crowded the front of the class, hanging on Snape’s every greasy syllable. 

Just barely containing an audible sigh she slid onto the bench, pulling a sheaf of parchment and quill from her bag and unscrewing the lid of her ink bottle. She tried to get into the potions mind set, swear to God, but the class was a ridiculously basic introduction to the determination of antidotes and her thoughts travelled back to last night. Sarah and Helena swimming out to find the giant squid, Felix trying to impress a guy with his non-existent quidditch skills and coming this close to flying head-first into the Whomping Willow. Alison, a lone Hufflepuff in the sea of crimson and Scarlet trying to make sure everyone had drinks and that Cosima had people to talk to and none of the little kids stayed up past their bed-times. Her reverie was disturbed, however, by the gaunt figure at the head of the room.

‘Miss Niehaus, perhaps you’d like to answer.’ Swallowing her panic, Cosima stared at the chalkboard hoping for a clue to the answer, or at least the question. Fortunately, the diagram was clearly laid out in chicken-scratch chalk. 

‘You need to heat it recursively, so impurities are filtered off,’ she answered smoothly, her cocky grin fixed firmly in place. Snape, on the other hand, was less pleased with her self assurance.

‘And what could be substituted for Bay leaves?’

‘Any of the seven major herbs that had been harvested under moon-light.’

‘And if I wanted to make it a poison instead of an antidote?’ Cosima’s retort died in her throat as she panicked once again. Snape was testing her, bringing up an NEWT topic, but she knew she had read this somewhere. As always happened when she was stumped for an answer, she looked everywhere but the Professor’s smug face. After scanning across the generations of graffiti that turned the desk-top into a topographical map of brief romances and bitter feuds, her eyes fell on her partners parchment page where, in neatly looping handwriting, the words wolf’s bane for mistletoe were written. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures. ‘I’d substitute the wolf’s bane for mistletoe,’ Cosima said, her fingers crossed under the table as if she were a little kid. Snape said nothing, but Cosima was gratified by the brief flash of approval in his eyes. He turned back to the board in a dramatic sweep of bat-like robe and began gouging more work into its surface. Cosima turned to thank the person next to her for their surprisingly non-Slytherin behaviour, and was caught by surprise. Soft, peach coloured skin, thick golden curls, an almost irresistibly soft looking mouth, gentle eyes delicately rimmed with dark lashes, her lab partner was hot. No, she was gorgeous. Cosima usually made a point of avoiding Slytherins, but even so she couldn’t imagine how she had never noticed this girl. 

Cosima gave her her best winning smile and scribbled a note on her own parchment.

Thanks! Is there anything I can do to return the favour?

The other girl smiled a little as she read, then passed a reply in the same delicate cursive.

You really should pay attention in lessons. How is your transfiguration? I am a little behind … 

Cosima enthusiastically dashed out a reply

My transfiguration is exceptional

…

They sat under a tree in the grounds, the last of the September sun dappling the ground as it filtered through the leaves. Delphine, the mystery girl introduced herself as soon as they left the clammy dungeon, was clever, funny and even more beautiful when illuminated by the sift outdoor light. 

‘I’ve never heard of anyone transferring before.’ Said Cosima.

‘It is rare, but it made no sense for me at Beaubatons with my parents travelling, and they would like for me to improve my English.’

‘As long as you promise not to lose the accent.’

‘Pardon?’

‘A French accent is very cute. Ask anyone.’

Delphine blushed, and Cosima was worried she had been too ballsy, but after a moment she continued the conversation as if nothing had happened. ‘I did some catch-up reading over the summer, but some of the courses are very different here. I met with Professor McGonagall but she seemed very … unfriendly.’

Cosima couldn’t help giggle at the hurt in Delphine’s face that anyone could ever take a disliking to her. ‘That’s just because you’re a Slytherin,’ she explained, reaching out to stroke the green and silver knot at the shadowy hollow at the base of her throat. ‘McGonagall is head of Gryffindor, so anyone in Snape’s house…’ Cosima withdrew her hand in order to dramatically draw a hand across her throat, beheading herself. 

‘People care so much about houses here?’

‘Ooooooooh yeah, a lot. If my sisters saw me talking to a Slytherin they would probably disown me, for starters. Then the torture, and the hiding of my body. Not to mention the disapproving looks from Alison. On the other hand,’ she took another long look at Delphine’s long, stretched out form, the smooth curves that marked her silhouette against the dewy, shaded grass, ‘I think it might be worth it.’

Without waiting for her nerve to fail her, Cosima leaned across and kissed Delphine, gently at first, the pressure of her, frankly ridiculous, Cupid’s bow giving way as she grew more confident. She opened her lips a little and was rewarded by a shift of tempo as Delphine responded, nipping gently at her bottom lip, but too soon she had pulled away, and Cosima opened her eyes to find Delphine looking at her face sadly. 

‘I am sorry,’ Delphine began, and she felt her heart sink. Typical Cosima, she told herself, rush in and make a complete dork of yourself. Why not. She’ll only never want to speak to you again. ‘I am sorry’, Delphine repeated, ‘I do not…’

‘No no no,’ Cosima interrupted. ‘It’s completely cool. I misread the signs. Doesn’t matter. Whatever. Look I’ve got to get to Charms, but it was nice to meet you, yeah.’

‘If you wanted to meet again, we could,’ but Cosima cut her off again.

‘Sure, we’ll do something. It’ll be fun.’ She scooped up her bag and quickly turned her back, striding towards the Castle far more confidently than she felt, putting it all behind her. It was all behind her. Behind her. Cosima couldn’t stop a single tear slipping from the corner of her eye and leaving a light liner streak down the side of her face. She wiped it away without glancing back.


	2. Berrick the Bashful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felix and Sarah decide to stage an intervention. Of sorts.

‘And then?’ Sarah asked, her whispered voice sounding like a shout as it echoed through the tomb-like corridors of the library.

‘What do you mean?’ Cosima asked, keeping her eyes glued to the page of astronomical charts in front of her and trying to work out if Venus was in retrograde.

‘Have you seen her since?’ Felix asked, leaning in on Sarah’s other side, a coy smile tugging at his lips. Ever since Sarah and Felix had arrived at the school, they were inseparable. Both sorted into Gryffindor, accompanied by Beth, Tony and Helena, they seemed to divide their time equally between daring acts of valour and mind-numbing stupidity. Or both at once. 

Despite the personality clash that sometimes arose, Sarah was Cosima’s favourite sister, but at that moment she would rather have fought a Hippogriff than sit opposite hr, Fee and Helena and be interrogated. At least Helena was distracted by the moving illustrations in the book Cosima had set aside, gently tracing the movements of celestial bodies as they spun in trapped arcs. 

‘Of course I’ve seen her Fee,’ Cosima responded, her irritability colouring her voice, and earning her a sharp glance from Madam Pince, the librarian. She continued in a low whisper, ‘I sit next to her every fricking day in Potions class, and she’s in my Herbology and Transfiguration. I see her plenty.’

‘But have you seeeeeeeeen her,’ hr persisted, reaching over the table to place his hands over the top of Cosima’s. Somehow the extended vowel sound conveyed every level of intimate relations that could possibly be implied. Cosima shook her head once.

‘She’s straight. And boring. And a Slytherin.’

‘Ok one, that doesn’t answer the question and two, just because Rachel’s a mega-bitch doesn’t mean you have to avoid every single Slytherin. Paul’s Slytherin and Beth says he’s fine.’

‘Yes, but Beth likes all Quidditch players, regardless of mega-bitch status. I don’t get why you two even care about this stuff. You’re like creepily involved parents. It’s gross.’

‘Frankly, I don’t care for the girl, but she’s not really relevant.’ Felix responded after a pause, ‘ We worry about you. Cosima darling, you know I say this with love; you are going die alone if we don’t give you some gentle encouragement. Or less gentle as the case may be.’

‘I’m not even going to respond to that. Just please, don’t interfere in my personal life. Or my public life. Or really any part of me. At all.’

‘It’s only because we care.’ Sarah said as Cosima gathered up her books, having to physically pull the last one away from Helena’s curious hands.

‘Deeply, deeply care.’ Felix added as she walked out of the library to study alone in the Ravenclaw common room. 

…

The truth was Cosima was avoiding Delphine. Well, not avoiding. Exactly. More just deliberately being in places she wouldn’t be. Like the common room. And the Owlery. And, on one memorable occasion, Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. She still had to see her in lessons of course, but she kept it frosty, and Delphine didn’t seem to be in any hurry to strike up conversation. It was simpler this way anyway, Delphine would remain an acquaintance. An acquaintance who tasted like vanilla, and orange blossom, and something completely unique, and whose skin was softer than anything that…

Nope. Definitely stop thinking about her skin.

Cosima was attempting to finish an essay on the uses of Moonstones in potion-making when she was disturbed by a hesitant tap on the shoulder. It was Scott, long term dormitory buddy and chess partner. He had a sheepish expression, clearly nervous about disturbing her at work, so she gave him a friendly grin and gestured for him to sit down.

‘No, that’s ok, I was just asked to pass on a message. From your sister.’

‘Which sister?’

‘The scary one.’

‘Doesn’t narrow it down.’

‘Sarah. She says she needs to meet you. Now. In the hidden room behind the tapestry of Berrick the Bashful on the third floor. She said it was life or death.’

Cosima sighed. Life or death for Sarah could mean anything from forgotten homework to Helena stabbing someone in the neck with safety scissors. Grumbling quietly to herself she slipped into the corridor and lightly walked down the hall and up one a staircase, lightly rocking on the balls of her feet as the staircase shifted into place. She made her way to the tapestry, which depicted a large knight slipping from his horse, landing in a large puddle, brushing himself off and trying again. Pulling it aside, she revealed a sunken area of wall that, when gently stroked, became a door. Felix had found it in third year. God knows how.

Once inside, Cosima’s eyes took a second to adjust to the gloom, and that was a second too long. The door swung shut behind her and locked, and she could just make out the sound of a muffled chuckle, Sarah, she assumed, and Felix whispering for her to shut her gob already. In front of her was not a life or death situation but, predictably, Delphine. She managed a small smile, ‘I guess they tricked you too, no?’

‘Right.’

‘I think they want me to … talk with you.’

‘Actually I think they want a little more than that.’ Cosima responded ominously.

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Never mind. Whatever. I guess we just wait till they get bored standing guard then Alohamora the crap out of this joint.’ There was a few minutes of awkwardness as Cosima stared at the floor, the wall, the ceiling, basically anywhere that wasn’t the smooth arc of skin that showed beneath the undone top button of Delphine’s school shirt. She had limited success. Eventually, Delphine broke the silence.

‘Cosima, have you been avoiding me?’

‘What?’ Cosima tried, with limited success, to muster an air of offended dignity, ‘perhaps I’ve been a little busy as of late, but…’ She ran out of mock superiority before she could finish the sentence.

‘I wanted to talk to you. About what happened that first day.’ Delphine stood, and took a step towards Cosima, ‘I am sorry I reacted the way I did, I was … surprised. And I had never… I never thought of another girl … in that way. But I find myself thinking of you … in that way. Do you understand?’

‘I really hope so.’

They both took a step at the same time, closing the distance between them, and they were kissing, all at once. This was nothing like at the lake, there was no reluctance, no hesitation. They pushed against each other, and Cosima didn’t know if she could be sure where her lips ended and Delphine’s began. She tangled her hands in Delphine’s hair to anchor herself as she took a step forward, pressing Cosima against the wall. Cosima shifted, kissing a hot trail down Delphine’s neck, pulling at her blouse to reveal a stretch of creamy skin, with the lace edge of her bra just showing. Glancing up at Delphine’s face to ask permission, Delphine gasped a ‘Oui’ between panted breaths, Cosima slid he thumb between the bra’s fabric and Delphine’s skin, gently caressing her with broad but gentle strokes, feeling herself fall into a rhythm that matched their twin heart-beat. 

There couldn’t really have been a worse time for Felix to interrupt.

‘Delighted as we are that you two have made up,’ He said with a wolfish grin, ‘there will be a Prefect coming along here in about eight seconds, so if you could possibly save this for a later date. As quietly as they could under the circumstances, the four of them slipped down the corridor and split up to return to their dormitories, but not before Delphine had bid Cosima good night with a slow kiss that was all she could think about as she lay in bed, staring up at the canopy and listening to the soft sleeping breaths of her friends, a thousand miles away from it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decision time! Should the next chapter feature a) Quidditch or b) Wizard's Chess ?


	3. In the Quidditch Stands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cosima and Delphine arrange a moonlit meeting

‘Psssssssssssst’

Delphine kept her eyes down, focusing on the parchment and the droning voice of Professor Snape as he explained, in excruciatingly elaborate detail, exactly why they were all going to fail their OWLs and have to go live in caves in the mountains. Or something.

‘Psssssssssssssssssst’

The voice at her elbow again. She had noticed Cosima passing the note a few minutes ago, but hadn’t reached over to check it yet. God knows she found her distracting enough already without the pleasant jolt that came whenever she saw her untidy but compact handwriting, or read a message she could not help but hear read in her voice. 

‘PPPPPSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT’

The whisper was now longer, louder and more distracting than it would have been to simply tell her the message, but Delphine knew Cosima enjoyed the furtive flirtiness of their under-cover romance, even though it she herself that had suggested keeping the relationship out of the spotlight. She surreptitiously unfolded the crumpled – and was that Helebore infusion spilt on the corner? – paper and read the message.

Meet me at the Quidditch pitch. 8pm. Come alone. Bring Snacks.

Delphine looked across the aisle at Cosima, but she was staring straight ahead, seemingly absorbed in the lecture, apart from the corner of her mouth which was ever so slightly twitched upwards.

…

Cosima was nervous. Which was ridiculous because it wasn’t even 7:45 yet so she wasn’t even late so obviously she wasn’t avoiding her. She tried to relax, leaning back in the stands to watch her siblings zipping through the night sky on their brooms. This pre-team-try out practise had been a tradition since second year when Tony, raised by Muggles but eager to make a name for himself as an athlete, had asked the rather more experienced Beth to teach him to fly. They had all gone along, barring one, obviously, and had found that they actually made a reasonably good team. Provided, that is, that Helena can avoid jinxing everyone who tries to block, threaten or even fly even-sort-of-close to Sarah. 

They played a half game, with Beth guarding the only goal with a tenacity that meant she had been almost impossible to get past in four seasons. Sarah and Tony played chasers, though Sarah really preferred the Seeker position, it was more isolated but she felt in control of what was going on, she didn’t have to rely on anyone but Helena, her personal beater. Cosima also suspected, though she was sure to never admit it, that Sarah enjoyed the glory of ending a match and securing victory. Alison circled the pitch, an almost eerily efficient Beater, channelling all her rage into surgically precise blows that have landed more than one opponent in the hospital wing, including Beth (Alison made three separate apology cards, Beth thought it was hilarious).

Cosima had tried Quidditch, but found a combination of astigmatism, fidgeting and being easily distracted had made her fairly accident prone on the ground, let alone a million feet up in the air. No, she stayed firmly planted on the ground, enjoying the view with the other spectators dotted about the stand. Felix was there, of course, shouting a whooping whenever anything – a n y t h i n g – happened. Come match day he would be decked out in red and gold, screaming so loudly you could almost forget that he still hadn’t learned the rules. Donnie sat a few rows behind, Alison’s dependable, door-matty boyfriend, and Cal lurked in the back row silently. Cal had been Sarah’s boyfriend on and off so often that Cosima couldn’t remember which it currently was. And then there was Paul. Beth said he came along to support her. Sarah said he came along to steal their tactics and spy on them. Tony said that he was just a douche-bag. It was hard to form a meaningful opinion though, as Cosima rarely saw him, and when she did he barely spoke two words to her. 

Cosima started to drum her fingers on the safety rail in front of her, fending off the cold and trying to keep her mind from worrying. Suddenly, the whole world went dark as two hands pressed over her eyes and a pair of lips whispered softly in her ear, so close they brushed against the skin of her cheek.

‘I hope I am not too late?’

Delphine slid nimbly into the seat next to her, leaning in close, and Cosima’s anxiety was instantly abated. 

‘Nope, right on time.’ Nervously, Cosima reached out her hand and lay it on top of where Delphine’s was resting on the rail. Delphine intertwined their fingers without even looking, and Cosima couldn’t help but smile. This awesome, brilliant, beautiful girl was holding her hand, was stroking a thumb down her wrist, was leaning into her neck. 

…

The others had finally got bored of the game and wrestled the Bludgers back into storage, but Cosima and Delphine were still out on the stands, sitting under the stars and sipping from a warm bottle of white wine Sarah had helped Cosima… appropriate from the kitchens.

‘So you did not know you had siblings?’

‘Nope, we all grew up apart, got Hogwarts letters, rocked up at the castle. Picture it,’ Cosima said, sweeping her hands wide to indicate a wide scene, ‘there I am, a teeny-little first year, raised by Muggles, never even heard of Hogwarts. A hat, a hat has just sung to me about my future and I have to go up in front of a whole group of strangers. Who should get called up in front of me but some random girl with my EXACT FACE.’ The last part was delivered in a giggly shout as Cosima tried to convey the confusion of this situation. ‘Then another. And another. And people start noticing. And whispering. And then I have to go up. And get put in Ravenclaw. Alone. It was … it was not fun. Then. It’s pretty fun now, I guess, I kind of always wanted brothers and sisters and now I have a butt-load, so …’

‘And do you all get on?’

‘Pretty much. Alison can be a buzz-kill, and Beth is pretty intense, and Helena is, you know, Helena, but they’re family. You can’t pick ‘em. We all get along. Except for she-who-must-not-be-named.’

‘Pardon?’

‘You must have seen her, in the common-room or at meals. She’s in your house. Rachel.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, exposition central. Good to get it out the way though. Time to pick what comes up next: a) A Hogsmeade trip or b) A clone impersonation


	4. Impersonation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah needs a favour from Cosima - Cophine Hogwarts AU

Cosima took another slug of fire-whisky before passing the bottle to Fee and leaning back against the cool stone wall. Sarah, on her right hand side, leaned her head on her shoulder and asked again. ‘Please Cos, just this last time, yeah? I’ll owe you one.’

‘You already owe me like, seven’, Cosima responded, her usually rapid speech slowed by the alcohol warming her stomach. 

Sarah mock pouted, ‘What are family for?’

‘Fine,’ Sarah leaned away and punched the air, but Cosima wasn’t finished, ‘just please, seriously Sarah, please don’t screw anything up.’

‘I promise,’ Sarah said, resting her hand in the vague location of her heart. ‘I will be extremely sensible and serious. Dull even.’ Cosima rolled her eyes, but sara was right after all, family did each other favours. Even risky, stupid, you-said-it-was-the-last-time-seven-times-ago ones.

…

Delphine was used to Cosima being late, used to her stumbling into class and slumping down, used to her messy hair and barely knotted tie that contrasted with her permanently flawless eyeliner, but something was different today. She had rushed into the room and slid into her seat just barely in time and not even given her a brief hello or one of her toothy smiles. She lent away, her body three quarters-twisted to give Delphine a good view of her shoulder, and she was peculiarly still. No fingertips drumming on the desktop, no twitching knee, even her face was at rest, clearly not listening to the instructions Professor Snape was delivering in a low monotone. Delphine was worried. Was Cosima sick? Upset? Was she annoyed with her? Fortunately, just then Snape gave the instruction to break into pairs and begin brewing the Draught of Forgetfulness they were working on.

‘Are you okay?’ She asked in a low voice as she set up the cauldron on their desk and lit the flames underneath it with a brisk wand movement. 

‘What? Oh I’m … I’m awesome.’ She smiled in a tight, uncomfortable way, and ran her hand along the boxes and bottles Delphine had collected from the supply cupboard. ‘So we add this first and then…’

Delphine carefully removed her hand from the box of fern seed, ‘Not unless you want to posion us.’ She said slowly, confused by the sudden change in Cosima’s behaviour. ‘If you are feeling unwell, we could leave. I could take you to the hospital wing or,’ she rested her hand on top of the other girl’s and leaned in so close that her breath tickled her ear, ‘we could go somewhere private…’

She jerked away so violently that the tears of Lys she was holding almost fell to the ground. ‘No, umm, public is good. I’m good, let’s just make the, umm, potion, thing. Yeah?’

Delphine took in the other girls face with a critical eye for a long second. ‘You are Sarah.’

‘Yeah. Nice to meet you properly.’

‘Where is Cosima?’ 

‘I had a big Charms test, we switched so that she could take for me.’

‘That’s cheating!’ The scandalised nature of Delphine’s reaction clearly amused Sarah, who muffled a laugh, then glanced to the front of the room, where Snape was verbally destroying a kid named Tim for not grinding his Nutmeg finely enough.

‘Keep it down, yeah? You better make a start here because I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing here and Beaky’s coming this way.’

‘Professor Snape might be interested in what you’re doing.’

‘Yeah well, if you tell him you’ll be getting your girlfriend in trouble too so, you know, take your pick.’ Delphine frowned, then sighed and began weighing up ingredients in a brooding silence, her long and elegant fingers delicately handling the long silver blade she used to slit open seeds and crush herbs. 

The worked like that for a few minutes, while Delphine’s anger at being tricked abated and her curiosity grew. 

‘Do you do this often?’

‘What?’ Sarah looked up from the birch twigs she was stacking up on each other, jenga style.

‘Do you often impersonate each other? I mean, have I ever…’

‘No! Oh God no. Only when one of us really needs it. When I’ve got an exam or Cosima’s got a detention she doesn’t want to do, or if Helena is having an … off day. Just to help each other out.’

Delphine nodded, though she still felt the thing wasn’t exactly fair. ‘May I ask you a question?’

‘Shoot.’

‘Why does Cosima hate Rachel so much?’ Sarah didn’t answer immediately, instead focusing on her growing tower of twigs that now reached above the rim of the cauldron.

‘We all hate Rachel,’ she eventually said by way of an answer, ‘id that supposed to be doing that?’ she asked pointing at the bubbling silver surface of the potion.

‘Yes, why do you all hate Rachel then?’ Delphine wouldn’t let herself be distracted.

‘You know we were all adopted by different families, right? Some wizards, some muggles, it varied. Rachel went to a super elitist pure-blood family, and they didn’t tell her she was adopted until she came to Hogwarts and realised she had all these sisters. We don’t know our blood status, right? Our parents were wizards, but we don’t know who they were, if they were pure-blood or muggle born or something in between, so Rachel suddenly finds out that may be she’s not as special as she thought she was. Cosima, she was raised by muggles, scientists yeah? Super muggles. So Rachel decides to make up for her disappointment by attacking all the muggleborns, but especially Cosima, Beth and Tony, her siblings. It was nasty, till Cosima learnt some hard-core hexes and stopped taking everyone’s shit. Things got a bit better, and last year we all just avoided each other. Hopefully we can keep that up till the end of school, and Rachel can bugger off and become Minister of Magic or something.’

Delphine stared contemplatively into the cauldron for a long time, watching the mirrored surface shift and change, distorting the reflection that stared back at her. ‘Thank you.’ She said at last, dipping a long glass vial into the mixture and withdrawing it, full to the brim with gleaming mixture. They cleaned up in near silence, and parted with brief goodbyes. Delphine struggled with the mix of emotions she felt tugging at her insides. Anger at Rachel, empathy for Cosima, irritation with Sarah. One thing that Sarah had mentioned stuck in her mind though. This odd group of witches and wizards were a family. If she wanted one of them she had to deal with them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout for Remy and Eomer for suggesting clone impersonations, hopefully next chapter will be nice and long, I can't decide though - elaborate prank or Hogsmeade trip?


	5. A Hogsmeade Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's October half term and time for first Hogsmeade trip of the year, but Delphine isn't as keen as Cosima

The last day of the half term brought with it stormy weather and worse moods. The enchanted ceiling over the great hall was split by lightning, and an angry growl of thunder permeated the school, reaching down to the Slytherin common room, deep beneath the lake. The weather left people tetchy, spoiling for a fight. The entire school felt like a buzzing, angry hive of students waiting to burst out, and it was only a matter of time before the tension cracked. Luckily, tomorrow was the first Hogsmeade visit of the year.

What magical words – Hogsmeade visit. Of course, it helped everyone cool off, leaving the grounds for once, exploring, getting a bit of shopping in. For the younger years it meant Honeydukes and Zonko’s and Butterbeer and daring each other to run up to the Shrieking Shack, for the older years it meant something much more important; who had asked who? 

Delphine had to give Cosima some credit, she was persistent and creative. She had first brought up the idea of them going to Hogsmeade together in Herbology, an easy class to have a private conversation in as low voices could be asked by the screams of unwary students trying to prune their Snappergast bushes. Cosima had asked in her usual half teasing/half sweet manner. 

‘Might I request the pleasure of your company on a brief visit to the local village my sweet?’

Delphine had blushed then, checking that they were hidden behind the bushes swaying tendrils, quickly kissed Cosima’s lips. ‘I am sorry, but we can’t. I couldn’t … it would be so public.’

Cosima’s eyes looked briefly downcast. Delphine knew this hurt her, her need for secrecy, she had tried to reassure her that it wasn’t shame, but she knew it wasn’t that convincing. How do you put into words your fear of retribution, of giving further power to bullies like Rachel, of your parents pulling you out of the school and sending you an ocean away? Better a secret they shared than a reality they couldn’t. Cosima, stubborn as she was, was harder to convince.

In transfiguration they had been sat on opposite sides of the classroom, opposite corners in fact, as far away from each other as geometry would allow. While this did give Cosima a fantastic view of the soft curve of Delphine’s neck it made conversation slightly impossible. Luckily, todays lesson was on turning pocket watches to birds, a tricky physical transformation that had already resulted in more than one singing clock at tables around the room. _Novo Avios_ she said as she marked the complicated sigil in the air and then tapped the watch with the tip of her Rosewood wand. With a slight pop as the air was forced outwards, the gold watch was replaced by a tiny finch, wwhich hopped along the table towards her and began pecking her hand, hoping to find some seed. 

The science of these transfigurations always fascinated Cosima, and her parents when she had explained over the summer. The idea that she had just created conscious life almost instantaneously, not to mention the required change in mass and chemical composition, the explanation ‘it’s magic’ simply wasn’t sufficient. Anyway, plenty of time for pondering the great mysteries of the universe when she was a leading Magi-Scientist. Carefully she composed a short note, and wrote it in tiny text on a scrap of parchment. 

_Secret trips can be fun_

She rolled it up a tightly as she could and slipped it into the grip of the tiny finch still hopping across the surface of her desk. She lifted it in cupped hands, then released it across the room, watching it’s lurching, fluttery progress across the vaulted stone ceiling of the room. Eventually it made it, spiralling to a landing on the top of Delphine’s text book. Cosima watched as she gently ran one finger down its back, smoothing the bird’s soft feathers with exaggerated care. Then, she noticed the scroll. Cosima watched her unroll iit and read what it said, but she couldn’t see her face, couldn’t judge how it had been received. Normally, Cosima liked that Delphine wasn’t as obvious to her as other people usually were, that she couldn’t always predict her actions and thought, but sometimes she wished she was a Legilimens. 

Delphine carefully folded the note and tucked it into the front pocket of her bag, then slightly twisted in her chair and offered Cosima a very slight head-shake. 

…

After transfiguration they had lunch, Cosima bolted down her food without tasting it then hovered outside the doors to great hall. Delphine emerged alone, and Cosima swept in and hooked her arm around Delphine’s so that they were walking arm-in-arm out of the front doors and into the grounds. There was almost no one out today, the thunder had let up temporarily but the air was heavy and the ground was still so wet underfoot that each step produced a loud sucking noise. They walked across to a bench that was slightly sheltered by a broad oak tree and sat down, Cosima swivelling and crossing her legs so that she faced Delphine. ‘Lots of people go to the village together as friends.’

Delphine avoided meeting her gaze, ‘I want to. Very much. I would love to for us to be a normal couple. If people saw…’

‘Then we’ll go where people can’t see us, Ok?’

Delphine finally looked up and met those dark, lively eyes that she found it almost impossible to say no to. ‘Ok.’ she agreed, and was almost knocked off the bench as Cosima threw her arms around her with an excited shout. ‘Where should we go then, Cherie?’ 

‘The three broomsticks of course, it’s the place to be.’

‘Cosima, even I know that we will absolutely, definitely be seen there.’

‘We have a completely awesome secret that I can’t tell you now but that’s going to help. Meet me by the clock tower tomorrow at eleven and I’ll show you.’ Cosima smiled her toothy grin and kissed Delphine on the nose before unfolding her legs from underneath her and strolling back to the castle, waving her fingers over her shoulder as she went. 

…

It had taken a long time to persuade Sarah. A very long time. An extremely long time, and various bribes, and two potions essays and, as a last resort, threatening to feed Helena a crate of fizzing whizzbees and just letting her ride out the sugar high. Eventually she had agreed.

‘Cosima. Look at me. This is an ancient magical artefact that has been passed down through my family...’

‘Through Mrs. S’s family.’

‘Through my family for generations. It was bestowed upon me…’

‘You stole it from her cupboard.’

‘It was bestowed upon me only when I had proved myself worthy and…’

‘You were eleven.’

‘Bloody hell Cosima will you just let me finish?’

‘Fine.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Fine.’

‘I’ve forgotten what I was going to say.’

‘Can I have it then?’

‘Can you use an ancient and valuable cloak of invisibility to sneak into Hogsmeade with your girlfriend?’

‘Yes.’

‘Fine.’  
…

The day of the visit dawned overcast but dry, with a brisk autumn wind shaking the last leaves from the trees. Cosima was excited as she walked towards the clock tower, a little late after arranging to meet with everyone later in the pub. Tony and Beth had decided to stay in the castle to catch up on homework, but everyone else was making the trip into the village. Helena may actually have been physically incapable of avoiding Honeyduke’s, and Sarah and Felix kept making oh-so-subtle references to picking up some supplies for something important. As if anyone didn’t know that they were in the process of planning their big Halloween prank, a tradition ever since they had worked out how to fill the Slytherin common-room with frogs in their first year. 

Cosima pulled her blue and bronze scarf a little tighter against one of the sneaking draughts that filled Hogwarts in the winter months. Hearing the clock begin to strike in the distance, she picked up the pace, hurrying down the maze of twisting corridors that it had taken her so long to learn how to navigate. She hurtled around the last corner and crashed straight into Delphine, both of them spilling onto the ground in a confusion of limbs and hair and scarves. They had landed face to face, completely entwined, so close that Delphine could feel Cosima’s eyelashes against her cheek. Breathless, she kissed her, forgetting, for a moment, her usual caution. They began to entangle themselves, but neither of them seemed willing, or able, to separate their lips for a long minute. Cosima reached up and tangled one hand in Delphine’s curls, anchoring herself, and for a long moment she was completely calm. That was the best way to describe it; she was happy, of course, and excited, of course, but more than anything she felt an incredible stillness, an internal quiet that radiated from Delphine and that she could feel in every part of her.

Way too soon, however, they both remembered that they were in public, in the middle of a courtyard. Cosima broke away, twin spots of pink flushing her cheeks and just grinned as Delphine, for once speechless. Delphine slipped her hand into Cosima’s and brushed a stray hair behind her ear before speaking. ‘So, what is the plan?’

…

The height difference made manoeuvring under the cloak more than a little difficult. Eventually, they found a rhythm with Delphine slightly stooped, her arm around Cosima’s shoulder and Cosima slipping one hand into the pocket of Delphine’s jeans. Cosima wished she could be showing Delphine the village properly, doing a tour guide impression, trying to make her laugh, but it was nice to be out in public with her, even if it was a very private sort of public. 

They waited until someone opened the door to the Three Broomsticks and then slipped in behind, making a beeline for the table in the dark corner with Cosima’s siblings sat around a table, laughing loudly enough that they could be heard across the crowded room. Ducking under dark oak beams and narrowly avoiding being knocked unconscious by a violent gesture, the two girls slipped into seats that had been left empty for them, Cosima tapping Sarah’s arm to let her know they had arrived. She sent a whisper around the table, and soon everyone was saying hi and catching them up on the conversation. 

‘We got the last of the supplies at Zonko’s’ Sarah said, ‘this year is going to be …’

‘Hush hush hush’, Alison interrupted, waving a hand in her direction to quiet her, ‘culpable deniability, I don’t want to know anything.’

Felix laughed, ‘It’s not like they’re going to interrogate you Ali, they won’t be calling in the Auror office.’

Alison said nothing, taking another sip of her drink and making a slight disapproving ‘hmmph’ sound in the back of her throat. Cosima leant against Delphine, enjoying the warmth of her skin, even through layers of shirts and jumpers. She snuggled closer, and felt her move in response, till they were sharing one seat, their ankles entwined and heads pressed against each other. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, though it was hard to be sure, the conversation rising in tempo and volume around them as everyone drank more and more, butter-beer on the table tops and fire-whiskey beneath. Eventually, Sarah put her hands up in a call for attention.

‘All the littlies will have gone home by now,’ she announced rather grandly, ‘it’s shrieking shack time.’

…

‘What is the shrieking shack?’ Delphine asked Cosima, as they made their way through the rapidly darkening streets, puddles of rainwater reflecting the lantern light till the cobbles glowed. 

‘It’s supposedly the most haunted building in Britain. Angry spirits. Bad news, in theory. So, obviously, every time there’s a Hogsmeade trip Sarah and Felix and complete idiots and try to break in.’

‘And we are coming along because?’

‘Because no one else will be there and we can finally take off this fracking cloak.’

They quickly made their way up the hill outside the village, and soon found themselves outside the gates to the mansion. Elegant, in a decrepit sort of way, Cosima had always liked the ruinous house. Empty windows like punched out teeth and a facade that was peeling off, held on only by long fingers of ivy that scrabbled for purchase across a roof that shook tiles from its shoulders like dandruff. They pulled off the cloak, and took a deep breath of the crisp evening air, watching as Felix boosted Sarah onto the wall, and then reached over to pull him up. They raced across the marshy and overgrown lawn, occasionally stumbling on the bricks and stones that littered the ground, until, now matchstick high figures, they reached the building. Cosima took a hold of Delphine’s hand as they both perched on the edge of a fallen tree, Alison standing a little way off, alternating between tutting, shaking her head and checking her watch. 

‘They never make it in,’ she explained, gesturing her free hand towards Sarah and Felix as they began rattling the huge brass handle on the front door, ‘they’ll go round the back, then get bored and we’ll go home.’ There were a few moments of contented silence as Cosima, constantly in motion as she was, began to trace the lines of Delphine’s palm. 

‘I have had a wonderful time today,’ Delphine said, ‘I am glad you persuaded me to come, I think.’

‘We’ll do it again then, yeah?’ Cosima asked, trying to play it cool but finding herself betrayed by the hopeful edge that crept into her voice. ‘And, if you want to I mean, you could help me help Sarah and Fee with their mischief on Friday.’

‘Will we get into trouble?’ Delphine asked, a touch nervously.

‘Only the good kind.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for everyone who's been reading and leaving lovely comments, it really helps :)


	6. Halloween at Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cophine Hogwarts AU - Sarah and Felix try to pull of their traditional end of year prank

Halloween had always been a pretty big deal at Hogwarts. Cosima always figured it was part of the aesthetic they were going for. Quill pens, big drippy candles, haunted suits of armour; none of it practical, all of it awesome. The October half-term celebrations just seemed to be a part of that, of trying to be as wizardy as possible. 

The holiday was a favourite among her family, though for different reasons. Sarah and Fee got to pull their elaborate pranks, Helena got to consume inhuman amounts of food, Alison got to help first years put up decorations, Beth and Tony got Quidditch practise in the last of the sunshine, uninterrupted by pointless lessons, and as for Cosima …

Cosima got to curl up next to a beautiful girl in a remote corner of the grounds, bundled in scarves and sweaters but still feeling the heat of each other’s skin as they lay and talked for hours about everything and nothing. Sometimes they brought out their books and studied, spend an afternoon lazily exploring the way that they fit together, hand to hand, lips to lips, but mostly they just talked. They were golden days, but as Friday morning dawned Cosima knew they had almost come to a close, lessons started on Monday, and today would be dedicated to other pursuits.

…

Alison primly rapped to the table of the abandoned classroom with her knuckles, then gave a firm cough as the various conversations around the room gradually petered out. ‘Thank you,’ she began, ‘now, I didn’t want to be here today. However, like many of you, I have been coerced into helping in this plan, and would prefer it if we were not in detention from here until Christmas, which is why it is imperative that we all know the plan.’

‘Alison. Oh my god.’ Sarah was sprawled out across two chairs, her head tilted back and her eyes following the path of a spider making its way slowly across the ceiling. ‘We know the plan. We have gone over. And over. And over the bloody plan. We could pull this off in our sleep.’

‘Better safe than sorry.’ she responded with a withering glare. ‘We are divided into four teams. Beth and I are security, we will attempt to stall anyone who might interrupt at any point, the code word is bubbles, yes?’

‘Bubbles?’

‘Yes, Felix, I had to pick something that wouldn’t come up in normal conversation.’

‘Right, so, if we here chatting to Snape or Filch or Rachel or someone, we should only panic if you say the word bubbles,’ he made air quotes around the words with skinny fingers, ‘otherwise everything is fine.’ 

‘Look, if you’re going to be sarcastic about it I can go down to feast…’

‘It’s a good code-word Ali,’ Beth interjected, shooting Felix a significant look. ‘Go through the rest of the plan so we can get started.

‘Team two is infiltration. Tony and Helena are going to enter _the room_ and remove _the item_. Without damaging anything.’

‘Do you really need to act like it’s a secret?’

‘Walls have ears Sarah, and any more interruptions and I will leave you to your gosh-darn mischief on your own. Team three is Cosima and Delphine, who I don’t think we should have included but no one ever listens to me anyway so if she runs and tells all the Slytherins I can just say I told you so, are enchantment. Team two will bring them the item to the top of the staircase, they will perform the enchantment, then team four,’ Felix and Sarah high-fived, ‘ will perform the detonation.’ 

 

…

Delphine and Cosima were crouched in an alcove behind a suit of armour, watching the entrance hall impatiently for a sign of Helena and Tony coming round the corner, talking in hushed voices.

‘The magical theory is actually very interesting,’ Delphine said¬, ‘if we weren’t using it for crime.’

‘I know, right?’ Responded Cosima, seemingly ignoring the second part of the comment, ‘see, normally the effectiveness of spells is limited so that when you cast Lumos it doesn’t blind you or whatever, but in this instance the double casters causes a feedback loop, so that as long as you retain wand contact the spell will continue working.’ She froze as one of her enthusiastic hand gestures connected with the suit of armour, a loud clanging echoing through the stone hallways. They both sat completely still for a long minute, their shallow breaths seeming impossibly loud, but no one heard, and eventually they relaxed. Cosima was watching the colour return to Delphine’s cheek when her expression turned stony again, and Cosima relaised that someone was leaning over her shoulder.

‘Hello Sestra.’

‘Helena you nut-job,’ Cosima yelled, falling backwards into Delphine in a jerky pirouette.

‘Do not call me this.’

‘Do not sneak up on me like this.’ Cosima retorted, still shaken by her sister’s silent approach. ‘Did you get it?’

‘It’s a her.’ Helena said, rocking back on her heels. Tony stepped forward, a raw red line dowm the side of his face.

‘And she scratches like a mother.’ he added, holding her out to Cosima.

‘Hello Mrs. Norris,’ Cosima said, taking the cat as she violently struggled to break free. ‘Who’s a good girl? Who’s a good girl.’ Mrs. Norris hissed and made a lunge for Cosima’s face, that she just managed to dodge. ‘Not you, apparently. Right, let’s get this show on the road. You ready?’ She asked Delphine, who nodded mutely. ‘3, 2, 1… go.’

Cosima released the ball of fur, claws and fury, and she took off at a dead sprint down the hallway towards the huge oak double doors. She and Delphine waited until the instance all four paws hit the flagged stone floor before they pointed their wands and yelled in unison.

_Engorgio_

Six feet long. Ten. Twenty. The cat quickly began to fill the available space. Cosima kept her wand hand steadily pointed at the now enormous creature, then ‘Now!’ She shouted, and she and Delphine broke off the spell, the cat now too large to fit through the doors. Tony punched Cosima in the arm, shaking his head and laughing, all four of them celebrating their success. It wasn’t quite over yet, however. 

Sarah and Felix, hidden in a broom cupboard, touched a wand to the fuse of the arsenal of fireworks they had picked up at Zonko’s. As soon as it was lit, they pelted out the door and between the legs of the giant cat, which turned to see what was going on. it was then that everything seemed to explode, a riot of colours and lights that Mrs. Norris immediately jumped up at, trying to catch the flying and spiralling sparks between her paws, with little success. The Great Hall doors burst open and a stream of teachers and pupils poured out, trying to find the source of the noise, but by then Sarah and Felix were long gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter felt a little ... stilted, I guess? Not my best but I wanted to get through, ho hum. As per usual I graciously accept prompts for this fic or other one-shots


	7. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think that they would get away with it, did you?

‘Never, in all my years as an educator,’ Professor McGonagall began, her pursed lips white from fury, clenched knuckles gripping the edge of her desk so hard Cosima was afraid it might splinter. ‘Never, have I seen such reckless, disrespectful and down-right stupid behaviour.’

‘Well, now, that’s just an exaggeration.’ Felix said under his breath, but, apparently, not quietly enough.

‘Yes, Mr. Manning? Did you have something to add? Was the day’s work of mischief, mayhem and misuse of magic not full completed?’

‘No Professor.’ Felix muttered to the toes of his patent leather boots.

‘Very well. Ii is my decision, then, that each of you will serve one month of detention, in addition to cleaning and repairing the Entrance Hall which has suffered extensive damage, and writing personal letters of apology to Mr. Filch, who was of a mind that I should hang you upside down in the dungeons till your brains leak out your ears, but in the case of some of you, I don’t know if we would notice the difference. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?’

Professor Snape unfolded himself from the dark corner where he had been, there was no better word for it, lurking until this point. ‘While your anger is entirely justified, Professor’, he oozed, fixing each of the siblings with an icy glare until he reached Delphine, ‘I would remind you that you are in fact only able to decide the punishment for members of you own house, which excludes Miss Niehaus, Miss Hendrix and Miss Cormier.’

‘Very well, does anyone have any objections?’ Professor Flitwick shook his head, and Professor Sprout, trying to remain inconspicuous merely made a sort of jerk that could have meant anything.

‘I believe Miss Cormier has suffered from some … unsavoury influences here, Professor.’ Another glacial look and significant pause, ‘she will avoids the clean-up crew and instead serves two weeks detention in the dungeons, away from these other miscreants.’

‘Fine. I’m going to bed. If you could avoid burning down any buildings for the next six hours it would be greatly appreciated’. McGonagall left in a sweep of her green cloak, followed by Snape and Sprout. Professor Flitwick paused at the door however.

‘That really was some excellent work there Cosima,’ he began, but at a cough from the other side of the doorway he hurried on without another word. 

Miserable and dejected, the group of teenagers sat in sullen silence for a few moments. The golden glow of their victory had faded, and now they were exhausted and facing the prospect of at least a few hours cleaning up before they could fall into their beds. Without breaking the silence, Delphine stood up and left the room so quickly that Cosima only just had time to twist in her chair, and her call of ‘Wait.’ died in her throat.

‘Well I don’t see what she was sulking about.’ Alison snapped. ‘She gets to go bed and rest up before the transfiguration test tomorrow instead of sweeping debris and rebuilding suits of armour. Plus half the detention. Honestly.’

‘She’s probably never been in trouble before,’ responded Sarah, stretching interlocked fingers above her head and giving an enormous yawn that showed all of her teeth. ‘Come on then. Might as well get it over with.’

They traipsed down into the entrance hall, meeting with Filch, a self satisfied little smirk twisting his colourless lips. Wordlessly, he thrust forward an assortment of brooms and brushes. He leaned back against a wall and watched as they began the task of clearing away their own messes. They hated it. 

…

Three days on, and the evening of Delphine’s first detention was already dark by the time she hurried across the courtyard and down the spiralled stone staircase that lead to the dungeon. Gloomy thunderclouds had crowded the sky outside, and the air had had a furtive heat to it, the feverishness of the last of the summer storms, but down here it was cool and silent. Delphine felt like she was in a tomb.

She stood outside Snape’s classroom for a few seconds before she gathered up the courage to knock, taking the time to marshal her thoughts and regain her composure. Then she gave two sharp taps that had not stopped echoing through the vaulted hall before an imperious voice called out ‘Enter.’

The voice rand with derision, but it was higher and clearer than Snape’s, like a fingernail on a wineglass, and Delphine found it oddly familiar. As soon as she entered the room she saw why.

Rachel.

Of course Delphine had seen her, they shared lessons almost every day, they sat fairly close at every meal, her face matched exactly the face that would always be etched in Delphine’s memory. All this didn’t stop the hairs on Delphine’s arms stand on end as she felt a chill go through her.   
After giving her an appraising look for several seconds, Rachel spoke. ‘Professor Snape couldn’t be here today, so he asked me to supervise. He has asked that you clean the day’s equipment thoroughly. Once you have finished you may leave. Any questions?’ 

She was smiling at Delphine, but there was no warmth to it. It was the smile a cat gave a mouse it had cornered. Not wanting to give her the satisfaction of a response, Delphine simply nodded, then got down to the task at hand. There were a lot of cauldrons to wash, most filled half burned or ruined potions that Delphine was sure she didn’t want touching her skin. She pulled out her wand and began using a scouring charm to remove the worst of the dirt, occasionally releasing a small cloud of acrid smoke as she uncovered a pocket of potion.

…

Perhaps an hour passed. Delphine could feel Rachel’s eyes on her, she had given up all pretence of reading the large Herbology book in front of her and was openly staring, her chin resting almost daintily on her hand. It was an oddly hostile gesture, and Delphine could not help but feel as she was being appraised. Eventually, she couldn’t stand the tension any more. 

‘Can I help you?’ She asked, setting aside the last cauldron, ‘or am I free to go?’

‘I was simply wondering,’ Rachel continued to stare, even as she rose and closed the textbook, slipping it into her bag, ‘what leverage my sisters have on you. It would have to be something good, this is clearly the first time you’ve done something like this, and that rules out blackmail. Intimidation isn’t really their style, so what made you want to risk your place here for them?’

All through this speech, Rachel had been walking closer, and now she stood face to face with Delphine, who flinched away from the familiar features arranged into such an unnerving shape. ‘Affection. That would do it, I suppose. Though I fear with either Felix or Tony you may find yourself sadly disappointed. Unless, of course…’ Rachel stepped back, her examination seemingly complete. ‘So, you’re gay.’

Delphine had no idea how to respond. She stood in shocked silence for a few moments, before regaining control of her mouth. ‘It does not affect you either way.’

Actually, it does. I have careful plans at this school. I have control, and I have intentions to use it, and I will not let myself be derailed by a school-girl crush. I am warning you once. As a friend.’ That smile again. Think shark. Think executioner. ‘Stay away from my sisters, or fall alongside them.’

Rachel swept out in a wave of heady perfume, and Delphine slumped at a desk, her head struggling to process all that had just occurred. She could understand, now, the enmity that Cosima’s family held for her. The girl, though that hardly seemed the right word, was terrifying. She was either mad or, even more worrying, absolutely sane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know this took forever, sorry. Big stuff happening next chapter, so will probably be at least double length, predictions always welcome as ever, and just a reminder that I am taking one-shot prompts here and on my tumblr. (wrappedupinabook.tumblr.com) :)


End file.
